By Maria Famakinwa
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The impression of most citizens of this country is that no one can be trusted especially when it has to do with the issue of money. However, this was proved wrong recently when a lady returned one million naira mistakenly paid into her account to the bank.
Opinion differs when some people spoke with The Hope on the topic. While few said that they would return such money, many revealed that they would not because such was not a mistake but another way for them to be blessed.
A teacher, Mrs Dayo Oluwole who said that she will immediately return it warned that any money mistakenly paid into one’s account should not be seen as a gift because such money will sooner or later be discovered and the person will be traced. “Though, many might want to see it as a blessing from God especially now that things are tough but God does not bless one through that means.
“A million naira is a huge sum of money no doubt, but that cannot solve my financial needs and I see no reason why I should not return it if mistakenly paid into my account. After all, we have reported cases of trustworthy citizens of this country who in the past had returned money forgotten in their vehicles or found during the course of their duties and were handsomely rewarded for being sincere. If we have few Nigerians who can do that, what stop me from joining the few?. Remember, the money you do not work for cannot last.”
Sharing similar sentiment, an Akure based artisan, Mr Raji Omotoso said that even if the money is more than one million naira, he cannot be tempted to take the money because such money cannot bring peace of mind. “If I take such money, I will not have peace of mind and this can give me hypertension.”
On why some Nigerians cannot return such money, they blamed it on the economic situation of the country which he observed is making many to do the unbelievable.”For me, I will return such money but for those who cannot, I will not blame them because of the hard times many are facing. You do not know who can be sincere in such a situation until one find his/herself in it. When it comes to money matters, human beings are unpredictable.”
A self employed graduate, Mr Lanre Adeniyi hinted that he cannot return the money since he did not steal it. “Let us be sincere, I cannot return such money. Do you know how much we are talking about? One million naira! I cannot return it and I do not believe that an average Nigerian could. “
When told that a Nigerian lady did same, he said, “find out, the lady must be from a well -to-do family because someone who hardly eat three square meal per day will never see such money as a mistake but a way God want to bless the family. The family will even testify to the goodness of God for the money. It is easier for many to pretend that they will return the money if mistakenly paid into their accounts but the story will change if they receive such alert.
“You are talking of one million naira that is more than enough to bring about positive turn around in the lives of people even with this present economic situation, you are going too far, ask how many Nigerians can return N100,000 in a country where many graduates are begging daily to survive, in a country where trust is a scarce commodity even among the so called clerics or in a country where everyone is looking for the short way out. I still maintained that the lady who returned the one millionaire naira is from a privileged background. That is why we are judging her as a sincere Nigerian such should have not been the case if she is struggling to survive.”
